The Cars of New Jersey

Fall 2023

9/29/23 to 11/17/23

Sam's haul of finds from New Jersey for the autumnal months of 2023.

Above: (9/29/23) - 1977 Mercedes Benz 450-SL Coupe (C107)

I don't know what it is with New Jersey and SL's, but the population of classic cars around campus is made up almost entirely of these things.  In addition to the red one owned by the dean of the politics department, I've counted five, including this car.  That number doesn't even include the 300D's I've seen, either.  It's hard to tell the years on these cars because they remained virtually unchanged for almost twenty years.  This one appears to be one of the older models, judging by the Michigan '77 plate it's sporting.  This was a cool find, as I don't recall ever seeing another yellow example like this one.  

9/30/23 - Volkswagen T3 Vanagon 

Parked over by the campus store one day was this T3 Vanagon, with a very ashen complexion.  I snapped a quick shot and then went off to grab breakfast.  I haven't seen this van since.  

Above and Left: (9/30/23) - 1988 Mercedes Benz 560-SL (R107)

Another one!  Be warned that this is just the start of many.  I wasn't very surprised when I saw this sitting on a side street one overcast Fall day.  Despite the fact that these cars seem to be everywhere, I still enjoy finding them out and about.  

Above: (10/5/23) - 1989 Mercedes Benz 560-SL (R107) 

Here we have yet another SL, this one another campus regular.  I've seen this one parked outside the politics department multiple times, so maybe it's this car that belongs to the dean, and not the red one.  Out of all the local SL's, this one's in the best condition.  Not that you'd want to, but this car is so clean you could literally eat off the bumpers (mmm, tasty armor-all). 

10/5/23 - 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe

Finally!  Something that's not another SL!  Ever since I've been interested in classic cars, I've often found myself seeing their designs in late-model vehicles and mistaking them for classics.  Wow, was that a Challenger?  Nope, just a red Camry.  Check out that Nova!  Wait, that's just a new Camaro I saw poorly out of the corner of my eye.  Is that a '67 Mustang?  N Yes, it actually is!  I did have to do a double-take when I saw this car to make sure I wasn't mistaking a modern version for its classic counterpart, but this was indeed the real deal.  I whipped out my phone to take a picture and gave the driver a thumbs up as he went by.

10/8/23 - Mazda RX-7 (FB)

This clean RX-7 was spotted one day as I was walking to the library.  I noticed the general shape that seemed out-of-place with all the modern, expensive cars surrounding it and had to investigate further.  RX-7's like this are becoming harder to find and more sought after.  Thus, an example like this may soon fetch a similar price as the luxury cars around it.

10/9/23 - The Foxbody that Got Away

This Ford Mustang convertible was spotted while I was out running, hence the poor quality of the photo.  I managed to get my phone out and take a somewhat legible shot.  You can at least tell it's a Foxbody.  This one was in really nice shape, with shiny black paint and custom chrome wheels.

Above and Left: (10/12/23) - 1996 Nissan 300 ZX (Z32) 5MT

Imagine my surprise when I awoke to find this parked outside my dorm!  This old 300 ZX has weathered the years very well and looks to be mostly stock, right down to the factory exhaust.  I thought it odd that I don't see these cars very often anymore and then proceeded to see two more examples during the following week.  This car is becoming a regular, as I spotted it a second time on the opposite end of campus a few weeks later.  It had received a bath (either intentionally or naturally) by then.  

10/12/23 - Porsche 911 Targa

This Porsche was spotted right as I was leaving campus for Fall break.  It looked to be in nice shape, but it hadn't moved about a month later, when I saw it in the exact same spot.  I think it's finally moved since then.  

Above: (10/12/23) - 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible

This was spotted in Hopewell at a small car dealership, where I've photographed several other classics over the past few years.  Nice ride!

10/12/23 - Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce

Produced from 1967 to '72, this Alfa looks very similar to the famed Giulia.  It was sitting in the display room of the dealership, and it may be a permanent fixture.

Above: (10/28/23) - 1984 Mercedes Benz 300 D (W123) Revisited

If you're sick of SL's at this point, here's a 300D for you.  This was first spotted last year, and it hasn't changed much since then.  I've even spotted it another time since taking these photos, this time right outside my dorm.  I think it's honing in on me.  If you don't hear from me, you know what happened.

Above: (11/12/23) - 1951 Plymouth Belvedere: A True Family Car

I was on my way to the engineering building one brisk Sunday when my I thought I smelled something familiar.  I took another whiff and seemed to be reaching the conclusion that the odor I was noticing was that of uncatalyzed exhaust fumes.  When I turned to the left, I was met with the above sight.  Three years of walking by this house and complaining that the 90s Jeep outside was probably one of the oldest cars near campus.  Three whole years of not knowing what gem lay resting inside the garage, waiting for the warmer weather to make an appearance.  I spoke to the owner and was sure to let him know how much I liked his car (and that I had a classic of my own).  He told me that his mother originally bought the car new at a now-defunct dealership about 10 minutes down the road.  It received a repaint about 10 years ago, but the car remains original otherwise, right down to the straight six powerplant.  The owner explained to me he was just running the car a bit to keep it in shape and maintained.  Now, I always keep my eyes peeled when passing this house for a hopeful peek at the Plymouth resting inside the garage.  

11/16/23 - 1970 Ford F150 Work Truck

I first spotted this truck last year on the very same road.  I didn't have a good opportunity to get a photo, then.  This time, I was ready.  I guess this is the counterpart to the white F100 that I see back in Rhode Island.  It looks to still be in use as a work truck as well.  

11/17/23 - 1967 Pontiac Firebird Convertible

Not to one-up David's Ford pickup that he spotted on campus in the same day, but I happened to snag this clean '67 Firebird out for one last drive before the Winter weather.  

11/17/23 - Mercedes Benz 460 SL

Here we go again!  When I saw this car, I wasn't surprised that I'd found another SL, but more dumbfounded over how many of them seem to be local to campus.  Another one? Really?  It's also funny to mention that this car was spotted a few parking spaces down from where I found the white 560 SL ragtop.